Clinker tongs



J. F. APFEL CLINKER TONGS April 14, 1942.

Filed Maroh ll, 1941 INVENTOR JACOB F. APFEL Patented Apr. 14. 1942 UNITED S TATES PATENT OFFICE LINKER TONGS Jacbb F. Apfel, Hamilton, Ohio Application Mareh I1, 1941, Seria.l NI). 382,775

10 Qlaims. (01.294-11) 'Ihis invention relates to improvements in tongs of the type generally referred to a3 (flinker tongs, and which comprise, generally speaking, an elongated body portion one end of which terminates in a gripping head including a fixed jaw and a movable jaw under the control of an actuator rod which is operable from the other end of said body portion.

Heretofore it was not uncommon for the actuator rod of 'clinker tongs to be injuriously afiected by the intense heat condition existing in the fire box of a furnace into which the forward or gripping head end of the device was inserted incident to the removal of clinkers therefrom.

The present inventionis directedamong other things, 1:0 the provision of a movable jaw for clinker tongs which is so designed as to effectively protect the forward end cf an a-ctuator rod from the injurious efiects of the heat of a furnace firebox into which the tong is inserted for accomplishing the removal of clinkers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a movable clinker tong jaw having the hereincludes integral stop means for limiting the maximum amount by which said jaw may be opened relative to the fixed jaw, thereby efiectively precluding the abuseto which aetuator rods were heretoforke subjected When the movable jaws were forced open beyoncl their designed and intended full open positions.

Still another ob-Ject of the invention is toprovide a movable clinkep to'ng jaw having the hereinabove described. characteristics, and which is so designed as to facilitate and simplify the process of anchring an actuator rod thereto.

A further object of the invention is to pro-vide a movable jaw for clinker tongs which is so designea that the connection betWeen the movable jaw and the actuator rod will become tighter and 'more secure as the pull, or load on the aetuator rod is increased.

Still a further object of the invention is 1:0

provide a movable cli'nker tong jav'v having the finger element of the tong cf Fig. l,with the upper part brokenaway and shown inlongitudinal section for clarity of detail.

Fi. 4 is an enlarged view of the forward,=.or

leitend of the tongof Fig. 2, with parts shown inlongitudinal section.

At the outset it should be noted 'that the present invention is. not concerned with, nor directed t0, the specific details of construction of a clinker tong except in so far a.s such structure' relates to the movable jaw. I-Iowever, for clarity of detail and understanding, a complete tong is disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2,-whereinthe numeral I0 represents an elong'ated tubular body portion, the forward end of which terminates in collar II, and the rearward end ofwhich terminates in a band grip portion I2. Collar II may be formed as an integral part, of a bifurcated fixed jaw element I3, the individualfurcations of which are denoted generally by the numerals I4 and I5. The uppermost portion oi the collar may terminate in a pair of' upstanding, spaced, parallel ears I6, from and between"which the upper end of a movable jaw I'I may be pivotally supported.

With r'eference to Fig. 3 it will be observed that movable jaw I'I comprises an extended body portion which is cf a long'itudinally arcuate form 1 and having 'aplurality of teeth I8 projectin from its concave surface, as shown. A depending actuator ear 2I may be formed integrally with the upper end of jaw I'I, said ear being provided With a hollow box or chamber 22 which is open only along its rear edge 21. may be defined by a pair of spaced parallel side walls23 bottom wall 24, a front wall 25 and a top wall 26, all formed as an integral part of jaw I1. A pin 28 may be provided'as an integral part of and extending laterally betWeen spaced side walls 23. 1

With particular reference' to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the rear edge 29 of bottom Wall 24 of chamber 22 preferably terminates to the rear of, that is to the right of a line XX drawn through the center of pin 28 and pivot-pin hole I9. 'Ihis construc'ztion facilitates and greatly simplifies the task of anchoring the forward end of actuator rod 32 toand around pin 28.

As diagrammatically disclosed in Fig. 3, the forward end cf the actuator rod may be bent to provide a U-s'haped hook 30 having a long leg 3I and a sh0rt leg 33. Heck 30 is preferably first disposed around pin 28, as disclosed in the short dashed lines, with short leg 33 extending over and projecting rearwardly of edge 29 of bottom w'all 24, and with'long leg 3I projecting from Chamber 22 that a. well formed, closed loop will be provided around pin 28 at the forward end of the actuator rod when it hasbeen lowered from position A;

to position B, thereby eliminating entirely any and all necessity of wrapping 01' entwining the short leg around the long leg as was heretofore;

common practice. j Movable jaw l! may be associated with=collar H by first introducing the free, rear end of the actuator rod into tubular.body I0 from which it may emerge via an opening 40 formed therethrough, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Jaw I'l may be pivotally mounted between ears I6 of collar II by means of a pivo'tpin 20, The rear er'1dof:the actuator rod may bepivotally secured to a shift able actuator lever 4'I pivotall3r attached to-hand gripv I2 by means 0f a pivot pin 42.

As best disclosed in Figs. 2, 3, and; 4, the npper portion of the rear end of jaw l'l is pre'ferably provided with an upstanding step orlugdenoted generally. by the numeral, I3. The physicalv dimensionsgof this lug preferablyare such as to substantially block oft. er close the collar open ingdefined by ears I6 and edge 44 when jaw I! has been swung-to its fullopenposition, as here inafter more fully sei: forth.

Wlth referencetuFig. 4', it=wi1l be observed thatthe forward, looped, endof actuator rod 32. is shielded from the actio'n andefiects of the hig'h temperature encountered in a furnace fire box..

By reason of the. physical structure of chamber 2I the forward end of the actuator rodand its loop 50 will not become heated any appreciable amount incident to normal use, regardless of the intensity of heat eXisting in the fire box from which clinkersare*being removed. Experiment.

has conclusively proven that by thus shielding theactuator zodfromthe eifects of:fire box heat the useful.life 0f such a rod is materially. increased over the useful.ilife expectancyof similar actua.tor tods the forward:endsef which are nut so protected.

With referenee toFig. 4 it will likewise beobserved that when jaw: I1 -has been moved aw'ay from fixed jaw I3 to its fulljopen positionas in dicated by the broken lines, the rearjface of lug 43 engageseclge 44 of;collar ll=thereby precluding further openingyoithejaw, and at the same time the opening betweenears I6 of said collar and the rear edge 29 of bottom wall 24 of chamber 22. Experiment has demonstrated that any tendency for the loop to becolne undone er straighten out is checked when the shox't leg 33 abuts edge 29.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided a movable jaw for clinker tongs, and

the like, which includes a chambered actuator ear designed as to eflectively preclude the transmission of heat to the forward end of an actuator rod anchored thereto and therein, and which precludes unintentional or accidental separation o1:the actuator rod therefrom incident to use.

1. A:clinker tongcomprising anelongated .b0dy.

portion one end:of which terminates in a band grip portion.the other end of which terminates in a collar, an actuator lever pivotally secured to said band gr.ip portion, a.fixed jaw projecting from said collar and a pair, of spaced ears projecting upwardly therefrom,a movable jaw.hav ing one end pivotally mounted between said ears f0r movement. relative to the fixed jaw, an actuating:ear formed integral with said movable jaw anddisposedbetween, said ears, a hollow chamberprovided in said actuator ear, said chamber including bottom, front, top and spaced side walls beingopenonly along.its rear edgean actuator rod extending between and'interconnecting said actuator ear and said actuator lever, and means disposedinteriorly of said actuator ear chamber towhich .t heforward end of theactuator rod v is pivotally secured. the walls of said chamber adapted to shield the torward end of said actuator. rod from the direct action of the flame and hot:gases;of a fire box:intowhich said tongs are is substantially clo'sed by an amount 'suflitzient to eflectively lessen1the tendencyfor a draft-to be established to the rear cf pivot pin*20. "In this manner a blast ofv hot gases will beprevented from passing;over and incidentallyheating-wod 32 while the gripping he'ad is;placedin a;fire box wlthv the movable j'aw=in af.ull open: position.

It will bev observed that: bythus limiting the amountby which the movable jaw=can:be opened relative 130 the fixed jaw-by means of lug, 43. n0- distortive stresses aitetransmittedito the actuator rod, suchas formerly existedwhen suchmovable jaWs were capable of being forced: ina clockwise direction about pivot 20 until the forward:

end vof. the actuator rod would be wrapped around-theboss of.the UDIJe1 end ofsaid-jaw.

Loop-.5fl is effectively precluded from, opening up incident to a pullon rod 32lqy reason-of-the relationshipbetween shozgt leg; 3,3; o f -saamicllqonintroduced incident to the removal of clinkers 2. Aclinker t0ng comprising an elongated body portion one end of whichterminates in a band grip portion, the other end of which terminates in acollar, anactuator leverpivotally. secured to said band grip portion, a fixed jaw projecting from said collar and a pair of-spaced ears projecting upwardly therefrom, a movable jaw having-one endpivotally mounted between said ears for- -movement relative to thefixed jaw, a stop lug formecl integral with said movable jaw, said stop lug adapted to .abut-s'aid collar. when the movable jaw has 'beenmovedrto. its i'u1l open Position relative to said-fixed jaw,- an actuating ear formed integral with saidmovable jaw and disposed between said ears a, hollow chamber provided in said actuator ear, said chamber including bottom, front; tomand;spaced side walls being openonly alongitsrear face, an actuator rod extending between and interconnecting said actuator ear and said actuator lever, and means disposed interiorly-of said actuator ear chamber to which the for.ward endof the actuator rod is pivotally secured, the walls of said-ehamber adatp'ted to shield the forwardend of said actu2tor rod from the clirect action of the fiame am! hol; gases 01 a flre box into which saidtongs areintroduced lncident to theremoval of elinkefstherefrom;

3. As a new article of manufacture a movable" Jaw =for clinker:tongsjandi the:1ike;.which:'totilzs eomprise a body portion, and a gripping head which includes a fixed jaw and a movable jaw under the control of an actuator rod which is operable from said body portion ab a location remote from said head, said. movable jaw includjaw for clinker tongs, and the like, which comprises an elongated body portion one end of which terminates in a gripping head including a fixed jaw and a movable jaw operatively secured 130 and. under the control of an actuator rod operable from the other end of said. body portion, said movable jaw including an actuator ear having a chamber provided therein, and means in said chamber to which one end of an actuator rod may be pivotally secured, said chamber adapted to shield said actuator rod adjacent said pivotal counection from direct exposure to the fiame and hot gasas of a fire box into which said tongs are introduced incident 130 removal of clinkers therefrom.

5. As a new article of manufacture a movable jaw for the gripping head of clinker tongs, said jaw including a longitudinally arcuate body portion having a forward and a rear end, said rear end including a pivot receptive hole and an actuator ear, said acouator ear having a chamber providec'l therein which is closed on all sides except the rear side which is open, a pivot pin extending laterally of said chamber and around which one end of an actuator rod may be looped, said chamher adapted to shield the forward looped end of an actuator rod from direct exposure to the heat conditions existing in a fire box into which the gripping head is insertecl incident 1:0 the removal of clinkers therefrom.

6. As a new article of manufacture a movable jaw for clinker tongs which includes a depending chambered actuator ear adjacent its pivoted end, said chamber including bottom, front, top and spaced sidewalls being open only along its rear edge, a pivot pin extending laterally cf said chamher and between said side walls for receiving and housing the forwardencl of an actuator rod pivotally secured to said pivot pin.

'7. As a new article of manufacture a movable jaw for (flinker tongs of the type wherein the operating characteristics of a movable j aw pivotally secured relative 120 a, fixed jaw are controlled by an actuator rod pivotally secured thereto, said.

jaw including an actuator ear having a chamber provided therein defined by bottom, front, top

and spaced side Walls, a pivot pin provided in said chamber extending laterally between said side Walls, said bottom Wall extending beneath and projecting rearwardly of a straight line extending through said pivot pin and the pivotal connection with the fixed jaw whereby the relationshi-p between the rear edge of said bo ttom wall and said pivot pin is such as to preclude the opening up of a loop provided in the end of an actuator rod and disposecl around said pivot pin.

8. As a new article of manufacture a movable jaw for clinker tongs of the type wherein the operating characteristics of a movable jaw pivotally securecl relative to a, fixed jaw are controlled by an actuator rod pivotally secured thereto, said jaw including an actuator ear having a chamber provided therein defined by bottom, front, top and spaced side walls, a pivot pin provided in said chamber extending laterally between said side Walls, said bottom Wall extending beneath and projecting rearwardly of a straight line extending through said pivot pin and. the pivotal eonnection with the fixed jaw whereby the relatioriship between the rear edge of said bottom Wall and said pivot pin is such a-gto facilitate looping the end of an actuator rod around said pivot pin by initially, providing a U-shaped hook in the end of said rod and then introducing said hook around said. pivot pin with the free end of the hook projecting rearwardly over said bottom wall, then'lowering the other leg cf said hook toward said. free end whereby a closed loop is provided around said pivot pin.

9. A clinker tong comprising an elongated body member one end of which terminates in a hand grip portion, the other end of which terminates in a gripping head. which includes a fixed jaw and a movable jaw under the control of an actuator rod which is operable from said hand grip portion, said movable jaw including an upstanding stop lug adapted to abut portions cf said gripping head for establishing the maximum amount by which said movable jaw may be opened relative to the fixed jaw, and a chambered actuator ear into which the forward end of said actuator rod extends and is pivotally secured, said. chamber adapted to shield the forward end cf said actuator rod from the injurious efiects of the high temperatures existing in a fire box into which said gripping head is inserted incident to removal of clinkers therefrom.

10. As a new article of manufacture a movable jaw for clinker tongs which includes a depending chambered actuator ear, said chamber adapted receive and house the forward end of an actuator rod pivotally secured therein from direct exposure the fla.me and hot gases of a fire box into which said tongs are introduced incident to the removal cf clinkers therefrom.

JACOB F. APFEL. 

